The Biology of Social Change

I was alerted to this slide show by the Leadership Learning Community, for which I am most grateful. I appreciate how it brings together considerations of complexity and living systems for organizational leaders.

By way of summary, here are the 11 “enabling rules” that the presentation highlights for leadership to work in better alignment (and sustainably) with dynamic systems:

Pursue agility and resilience (not predictability)

Consciously learn from daily experience

Allow solutions to emerge

Pull don’t push (or, invite don’t force)

Seek diversity

Rely on vision and boundaries rather than control

Appreciate messiness

Expect non-linear progress (ups and downs)

Cooperate (rather than compete) to create abundance

Promote grassroots initiative

Create fully human spaces

Given the show’s focus on business, I’m wondering what you see the applications being, or how they might be different or fine-tuned, for social change work via nonprofits or communities. And what barriers would you identify as standing in the way of embracing these rules?

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